Sick of Me

At the record release Adeline was holding at RPM, Billie Joe followed me around like he was one of my children. It was decidedly a semi-formal event so Billie chose to wear a three piece suit complete with a bow tie. Although I wanted to wear a pair of tailored pants, Billie somehow talked me into a black halter dress, to 'celebrate' the two year anniversary of the store's opening. While everyone mingled with the band that was celebrating their release, Billie tugged on my fingers impatiently.

"What?" I tried to hide my annoyance but he must have seen it because he stood rigidly, shoving his hands in his pockets and apologizing. I told him it was okay as I straightened his bow tie, smiling at the skulls on the fabric.

"I have wicked heartburn." He seemed so helpless and I felt terrible.

"Is it that acid reflux again?" Billie had gotten it a few years ago and since he wasn't allowed to eat things like Mexican, Italian, or Chinese food or drink any alcohol, he was a total bitch for like a month.
Billie shook his head saying that he didn't think so.

"There's a Walgreen's down the block. Do you want me to go get you something?" My motherly instincts were kicking in.

"It's alright, I'll go. You entertain your guests!" Billie gave me a kiss on the cheek before turning on his heel and heading out the door.

When Billie came back nearly half an hour later I was busy talking to a few of the Adeline reps about what was to come for the label. I felt a pair of arms wrap around my waist and I smiled, grabbing his hands with mine. Billie set his chin on my shoulder and told my company that he needed to borrow me.

"Excuse me for a minute." I smiled thankfully as I received nods from the group of people I had been talking with.

Billie took my hand and pulled me off to the back of the store. When I asked what we were doing, Billie told me to hush as we went into my office and he shut the door.

"Well it looks like you're feeling better!"

"You bet I do." His all too famous smirk appeared and he pushed me back against my desk. I felt a sudden wave of adrenaline hit me with at the thought of being shut in my office with a building full of people on the other side of the door.

"I'm not sure about a quickie now… We could get caught."

"That's the point, Grace." The smell of cigarettes and aftershave radiated from his body and it never failed to comfort me. It made me trust him for some reason. Without warning he caught my lips and wouldn't let go until he was out of breath. There was this heated look in his eyes that just got me going. Within seconds my hands were in his hair and he forced me to sit on the desk so I could wrap my legs around him.

"I need to get back out there." I was trying to come up with a reason as to why but nothing was coming to mind and he could tell.

"Don't lie, you know you belong here with me." He ran his fingers along my bare shoulders and I shuddered, knowing he was right. When I looked up I couldn't help but crack up with laughter. Billie stared at me curiously; he had no clue what I found so funny.

"Oh, dear. Look in the mirror over there."

Billie had my lipstick smeared all over his face and he let out a chuckle.

"Come here, Beej." I grabbed a tissue and licked it so I could begin to wipe it off of his face.

"What do you want to do after this party is over?" I figured Billie would have sex on the brain from now until he got some and I was right. Once I got all the pinkish smears off, I went and reapplied my lipstick in the mirror.

"Ohh, I know what you can do with those pretty pink lips."

"You're disgusting." I rolled my eyes, smacking my lips and telling him it was high time we got back to the party.

"I may be disgusting but you love me. Don't forget that." He whispered in my ear as we headed further into the store and I felt my cheeks go red.

"You won't let me forget it, so how could I?"

---

The party wrapped up smoothly and when it was finally over around ten I called Ollie to check on the kids.

"Hey Ollie, how were they tonight?" I straightened up a few things around my office while Billie sat in my chair, drinking a glass of red wine. I was so thankful for cell phones now; I didn't have to constantly worry or wonder about Billie or the kids.

"Little Miss Sassafras threw a fit because Jack got to pick the bed time story but other than that everything was fine."

I sighed, apologizing for my daughter's poor behavior. Rita was old enough now to know not to throw hissy fits over little things like that. Ollie told me that it was fine and that I shouldn't worry.

"Kids flip out over the strangest things. Billie Joe never let me tie his shoes for him, no matter how long he took to do it."

I looked at Billie and had no trouble imagining him doing something like that.

"Grace the kiddos are asleep here. Why don't you and Billie have the rest of the night to yourselves. You two need it." I couldn't argue with that, so I thanked Ollie and told her goodnight before hanging up.

"So Rita was being a pain huh?"

I nodded, saying that she needed a nickname like sassafras or the sass master.

"Do you think she's starting to act out because she thinks it's pulling us together?" Billie shrugged, telling me not to think about it.

"What am I supposed to think about then?"

"You and me, right here, right now."

"Here? This is where I work."

"Since when has location stopped us? Tour buses, pianos, and dressing rooms aren't really out of the ordinary for us."

I said something about how we weren't in our teens or early twenties anymore.

"Exactly! We need some thrill! I saw how hot and bothered you were earlier."

"Oh yeah?" I sat on my desk in front of Billie, taking his glass and refilling it with the bottle that was sitting beside me.

"I might still be up for it if you do something for me first." I saw Billie's eyes light up as his mind raced with potential commands. I slipped off my black high heels and smiled meekly.

"My feet are killing me. Would you be a dear, oh favorite husband of mine? Please?" I batted my eyelashes and saw him contemplating it before taking my right foot with his hands and squeezing it roughly.

"I'm your only husband…"

"That's what you think." Billie Joe looked up at me and squeezed harder, making me wince.

"Jesus, I'm kidding Billie Joe. I'm not a fucking polygamist." I took a large sip of wine and let out a heavy sigh, telling him that he had no idea how good I felt right now.

"Want me to make you feel even better?" I nodded almost instantaneously so Billie got up and stood in front of me. He took my glass and set it off to the side as I wrapped my arms around his neck.
Billie was busy trying to unzip my dress when a quiet knock hit the locked door. We both jolted up, scrambling to look presentable.

"Mrs. Armstrong? Grace? I left my wallet in the back room…" The voice of one of my employees, Carson, rang out and I opened the door to see her confused face.

"Hey Mrs. A. Oh… and Mr. Armstrong. I'm sorry if I'm interrupting anything, I just forgot my wallet." I told her it was fine and I heard Billie mumbling otherwise as I walked Carson to the back room so she could get her stuff.

After Carson got her wallet, she apologized again and left out the back door. Billie wasn't in my office when I came back, so I went out into the store to find him leaning against the cashiers' counter, his tie loosened and shirt unbuttoned, a smirk on his face.

"Does this bring back any memories?"

"Like when you'd visit during my late closing shifts at Amoeba." I jumped up onto the counter, knowing it was out of view from the windows and continued what Billie and I had started earlier.